Hackers 'break into Bumi chairman's computer'

Hackers posing as Wikipedia researchers broke into the Bumi chairman’s
computer to gain access to explosive confidential information, according to
an investigation.

Samin Tan has satisfied Bumi's independent directors that he has secured a crucial $223m of financing

7:00AM GMT 11 Jan 2013

Samin Tan’s email account was “specifically targeted in a sophisticated and persistent attack” to retrieve sensitive documents, a seven-page report by a private security company claims, according to a newspaper.

One member of Bumi’s board subsequently received some of the documents by email from an unnamed “whistleblower”, and several other staff at Bumi are thought to have had their accounts hacked into.

Mr Tan and the Bakries - the politically-connected Indonesian family that co-founded Bumi - commissioned the security company, Context Information Security, to look into how information on the chairman’s computer had leaked.

The investigation revealed that last July, hackers penetrated Mr Tan’s computer, which gave access to emails and other sensitive documents.

The computer was allegedly hacked using “suspicious” emails sent to Mr Tan last July and August, purporting to be from a Wikipedia researcher writing an article about the chairman and asking him to click on links to stories about him.

But, the report said: “After clicking on these links the chairman was redirected to webpages where it was likely that his computer became infected with malicious software.”

A spokesman for the Bakrie family said: “It was very clear our e-mail servers had been compromised in what was a disgraceful attempt to destabilise the company. Despite this, our focus continues to be on reaching a solution in the best interests of all shareholders.”

This week it emerged Bumi is to hold an extraordinary general meeting after major shareholder Nat Rothschild called for 12 of the company’s 14 directors, including Mr Tan, to stand down.